A review of "Hey, Presto" by Nadia Shireen

Hey People in the Ether,

   Firstly, an apology! I'm very sorry for my long silence - the past couple of months have been busy and life-changing. So I'm heartily sorry for being a bad blogger but I'm back in action now.
 
   Secondly, a review! Shireen's latest offering introduces us to best friends, Presto and Monty. They have nothing but are content to be together - that is until Monty thinks they should make the most of Presto's talent for magic. What's proposed as a double act soon turns into a one-dog-production as Monty hogs the limelight and bosses poor Presto around. Eventually the moggy has enough and leaves - of course, disaster (on television, no-less) ensues. But Presto sweeps in to save the day and his friend, and Monty sets about rebuilding their friendship as well as creating a new stage act that allows each creature to focus on his own strengths.  

   As in "Good Little Wolf", Shireen's story has loveable (if flawed) characters and an entertaining crisis, this tale though has a much cosier conclusion; but it works delightfully. Her dialogue is sharp and fun, and the little background details are charming touches, sure to reward searching eyes. I'm a huge fan of her warm, fuzzy, hairy, scratchy illustrations and the colour palette she employs here is vibrant and inviting, too.   

    This is a pacey story of friendship, ambition, ego and valuing what really matters. I'd recommend it to fans of Shireen's previous fare and to anyone reading to a little diva or divo.  

    Thanks for reading,

            LJ

A review of "The Dark" written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Jon Klassen

Hi Folks in the Smoke,

   In this dream-team pairing of the renowned story-weaver, Snicket, and a rising illustration star, Klassen, we find a tale that is both retro and timeless.

   Laszlo apparently lives alone is a large rickety house with long stairs and huge windows, save for one cohabitant, the dark. The lack of adult supervision doesn't bother Laszlo or us, but soon the dark bothers us both. It lurks in many nooks and crannies, but it lives in the basement. And at night, it spreads everywhere and can't be escaped. One night Laszlo's nightlight fails so the dark must be confronted and the two occupants begin an intriguing dialogue that ends in acceptance.

   Snicket's text is well paced, starting mournfully, becoming sinister and then resolving nicely to a comforting end. Giving the dark its own voice is really effective, as is referring to it as the dark rather than the darkness. The font alters from black to white as the settings dictate and this offers a pleasing contrast throughout - each passage bristles on the page. The page on which the merit and importance of the dark is described is beautiful though it does feel a little text heavy, especially for a younger reader.

   We're used to Klassen's animals so it's intriguing to see how he depicts a little, lonely boy and the empty house he wanders around. Laszlo has button eyes, 50s hair and a onesie. Light seems umber and warm while  the black belonging to the dark is inky, deep and intense. The gorgeously textured paper enhances this palette greatly.

    This is an interesting, slightly sad story. I'm not sure it would necessarily resolve severe fears of the dark; it's much more sinister than the tender and reassuring "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark", say. From an adult's reading point it actually feels like a simple, short horror story, all be it one with a tender ending. But it is solemn, subtle and beautiful and could encourage discussions about fears and phobias in general with slightly older readers, perhaps 5+.

    Thanks for reading,
            LJ

A review of "One Little Baby" written by Richard Dungworth and illustrated by Jane Massey

Hey there People in the Ether.
   
   If you're searching for a new picture book to share with a very tiny tot, this short and sweet tale surely will hit the spot! (Blame Dungworth's infectious rhymes!)

   In the spirit of classics such as "Peepo" and the "Tom and Pippo" stories, this charts a day in the life of a teeny toddler, who remains without a name, gender and race throughout; simply "one liitle baby" undertaking a new important on each spread as we move from waking to sleeping. The topics are familiar, reassuring - breakfast, dressing, playtime, storytime and so on.

   Dungworth's repeating and rhyming text is full of lovely phrases, moments of drama, warm humour and lots of tenderness. The font is beautifully plain but does change size and uses the occasional word in italics for stress.

   Massey's illustrations capture movement and emotion elegantly, using sweeping charcoal lines and a palette of about seven colours on minimal, white spreads. The baby's perpetually rosy cheeks and Teddy's serene face are adorable.    

   This is a really glowing, sweet and comforting story to share with the very smallest book addicts, perfect morning or evening reading. If I had one criticism it's that I'd have liked to see "one little baby's" dad make an appearance, but maybe Dungworth and Massey are saving him for another outing.

    Thanks for reading,
            LJ

A review of "Monty and Milli: The Totally Amazing Magic Trick", written by Tracey Corderoy and illustrated by Tim Warnes

Hi there, Folks in the Smoke,

   This magical tale from the pen of Corderoy and the paintbox of Warnes is seriously cute and laden with sibling tension and tenderness.

   Monty is that traditional figure - the much-put-upon elder brother. His little mouse sister is forever taking over situations, spoiling his fun and meddling in his playtime. He never has a moment's peace. So, on his birthday when he gets a magic set that is designed for only one he eventually loses his cool and tells Milli to butt out. He goes so far as to wish that she would turn into a warty toad and disappear - and then Milli is nowhere to be found, allowing Monty some blissful quality alone time. 

   But when teatime arrives Monty is grief-stricken at the notion that Milli really is gone. Happily, she springs from her hiding place and the siblings are tenderly reunited. And there's an added, magical bedtime surprise in store, too. 

   Corderoy, as ever, creates lovable and realistic characters, for all their mouse appearances. Monty exasperation is amusing and Milli's attention-seeking enthusiasm is adorable. The text zings with some lovely words and funny asides, and there are great sound effects, too. There are different font sizes and stresses to help drive the tale along. 

  Warnes' illustrations are warm and bright, with lots of blues, yellows and greens. The animals' bodies and expressions are beautifully depicted. And the subtle details of mouse life - a cupcake as a birthday cake, the recycled bedroom furniture - are equally sweet and smart.

  This makes perfect bedtime reading for antagonistic siblings in need of a sweet story to remind them that they have more fun together.

   Thanks for reading, 

           LJ

   

A review of "Miss Rosie Red - Let Me See...What Will I Be?" app written and illustrated by Trisha Deery and produced by Dog Ears

Hi People in the Ether,

   Miss Rosie Red is a charming character whose first picture book adventure "Let Me See...What Will I Be?" makes a fun and friendly app.

   It's a simple, warm, sweet story - Rosie's been invited to her friend's birthday party and decides she needs to dress up as something impressive. The scouring of dress-up boxes and wardrobes is doomed as there's an imagined problem with each costume - astronaut, fairy and dinosaur. After many other changes, at last, our cheery heroine realises the best course of action. She'll be herself. And when she arrives at the picnic she discovers her friends are being themselves, too.

   Throughout, Rosie talks to Cooper the cat in a very believable manner. The sense of her wondering, daydreaming, play acting is really innocent and lovely. And there's a great range of words in the narration. The repetition of "Let me see...what will I be?" and "Oh, no, that would never do" ensure this will be an engaging storytime read.  

   Deery's artwork is scrumptious, soft, in a warm colour palette. There are few backgrounds other than colour washes until the climax. Rosie is gorgeous, her russet hair, lovely freckles, stripey tights, infectious smile, and emphatic frown are all adorably drawn. Rosie's little brother, Baby, is chubby and cute. Cooper is forever prowling and jumping. And I especially loved Rosie's Mum's red stilettos, they tell us something of her character though we never see her face. All Rosie's friends, Darcy, Gracie, Penny are distinct individuals.

   The interactivity of the app is really well pitched. There are three reading options; read to me, read myself, autoplay. And the speed of the latter option run is perfect. There's also just the right amount of screens that involve extra touch changes to the scenes and they're really effective. There are lovely sound effects throughout and cheerful uptempo guitar playing occasionally in the background that's far intrusive. And Rosie's song is adorable. 

    I think the voice talents on this app are the cherries on a lovely cake. Rosie is voiced by a three-year old and this lends an authenticity that's full of excitement and wonder. Mum's voice is loving and very engaged with Rosie, while the narrator is always cosy and interested in the events onscreen. I'll admit I'm predisposed to love these particular accents from my neck of the woods, but I also think it's really refreshing to hear more regional, and non-celebrity, voices in apps. Miss Rosie Red is a wonderful character for pre-schoolers - she's set to star in more books and apps, and there's even a television series in the works.

   Thanks for reading,
      LJ

    

A review of "Again!" by Emily Gravett

Hi Folks in the Smoke,

   The most recent offering from the very talented Emily Gravett is wry, warm and fun.

   "Again!" features a fierce little dragon with an appetite for his favourite bedtime story. The blurb introduces him as Cedric, and that is also the name of the dragon in the tale his weary mum reads to him. The story book Cedric is huge and red and terrorises his neighbours, whereas our Cedric is tiny, green and looks quite innocent; a neat contrast.

   But our Cedric is also a little stroppy and repeatedly demands that his mum read the story again and again. The bedtime tale changes each time, becoming shorter, as Cedric's mum gets wearier. Eventually, she drifts off mid-reading and Cedric loses the plot. He screams and stomps and turns from innocent green to furious red. First he pouts and snorts out smoke but flames soon follow and he then scorches his story book, and charmingly ours as well.

   Gravett's canny text and its presentation make this book - there is one sentence of scene-setting, then all of the story book reading and Cedric's mum's dialogue is captured on the inset illustrated book, while Cedric's only speech is "again", though he does say it 15 times in various tones and at increasing volumes as reflected by different font sizes.

    As ever, the artwork is textured, simple and captivating. The stark white backgrounds allow us to focus on the beautiful inset story book and on our scaly, green protagonists. I love how Cedric boils from his peaceful green to a raging red. The loveliest touch is a spread that seems to look out from inside the favoured story book, its characters look non-too-impressed with the destruction to their home wrought by our grumpy little dragon. 

   This charming tale of tired storyteller and moody toddler might aid those struggling with their own fierce little creatures at bedtime.

    Thanks for reading,
        LJ

Apologies

Hey People in the Ether,
 
   This is a quick post to apologise profusely for such a long silence. A family wedding and all it's attendant business had to take priority over blogging for a couple of months. Normal service will be restored soon.

    Thanks,
         LJ

Some app reviews

Hi Folks in the Smoke,

   I'm a huge fan of Nosy Crow's fairytale apps - Cinderella and The Three Little Pigs are gorgeous, detailed and fun, packed with lots to explore and great non-linear story-crafting. I played with some of their other offerings over the holiday and thought I'd round them up in this post.

"Bizzy Bear", ideal for pre-schoolers

 Bizzy Bear is the hero of a series of lovely board books and apps for pre-schoolers. He's a loveable and inquisitive character who explores a new environment, completes tasks and makes friends. In "Bizzy Bear On the Farm" and "Bizzy Bear Builds A House", you must help him by swiping objects, opening doors and operating machinery.

                        

   There are eggs to collect, tractors to drive, horses to exercise, bricks to deliver, sand to shovel and cranes to operate. Benji Davis' art is cute, warm and fun and the soundtrack, highlighted reading and very young child narration all combine to make these apps really charming treats.

  

"Pip and Posy", ideal for pre-schoolers

   Pip (a rabbit) and Posy (a mouse) are best friends created by Axel Scheffler and they've had many picture book outings involving sharing their toys, bathroom emergencies, monster scares and snow creature construction. I've a real soft spot for them, they are very sweet and entertaining characters and their exploits are lovingly aimed at a toddler's experiences. This is their only app so far, and as the title suggests it's a game app to entertain fans rather than being story based.

   It features artwork from the stories and there are jigsaws to complete, differences to spot, card puzzles to solve and pictures to colour. My favourite task is the one where you point the tablet's camera at yourself and pull faces in order to copy Pip and Posy. Great fun with charming characters, complete with fun voice and music tracks.

"Parker Penguin", ideal for 3+

   Parker Penguin is the second in a new app avenue for Nosy Crow - non-fiction, specifically gentle but engaging natural history. The first outing featured Franklin the Frog. This material is composed by a couple Barry and Emma Tranter, who are responsible for the artwork and text, respectively.  The artwork is composed of circles, ovals, arcs etc, hence one aspect of rounds. The other is that the stories are cyclical - they begin with a baby animal and come right back around, that animal has offspring and we can go through their whole lifespan too, and that off their offspring. So we meet Parker, and his mate Penelope; and then their chick Percy and his mate Pippa and lastly Peter and Pearl at which stage we can keep the loop going by meeting their chick Parker.

   I think this is a really great, lively, layered and informative app. The use of a child's voice talent and really subtle music and sound effects are pitched perfectly. The art is funky and stylishly coloured. The interactivity (tilting the screen to make the penguin slide faster, nicely pulsing dots that tempt you to touch certain live areas) is clever and not at all intrusive. Helping Parker feed and then assisting the chicks as they shed their down were my favourite bits. And the text highlighting is lovely for early readers. It has great tangents to explore beyond the simple story of the life cycle - you can learn about ice-bergs and whales and seals, but it is never so much that you get bored of it or distracted from your character.



   Nosy Crow's next release is another fairytale - Red Riding Hood. I'm looking forward it and hope there are more Bizzy Bear, Pip and Posy and Rounds in the pipeline, too.

   Thanks for reading,
              LJ

A review of "My Big Shouting Day" by Rebecca Patterson

Hi People in the Ether, and Happy New Year,

   So, Santa (and my very lovely boyfriend) brought me lots of lovely picture books, some cool YAs and a smattering of story-fuelled apps for Christmas. Very exciting stuff! And I'll spend the next few weeks reviewing them.

   "My Big Shouting Day" was a huge hit last year, and it won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize for children aged six and under. It follows Bella whose day goes from bad to worse as his baby brother drives her mad, the toothpaste is irritating and her shoes are annoying. Everything winds Bella up and so she vents her fury into almighty screams and shouts, hectoring her mother about the awful dramas she must endure.

    Bella is thrillingly vocal in her frustration. Young readers will identify with a tantrum-indulging protagonist as adult readers will giggle along at hysteria that is both familiar and ridiculous. The story is amusing and has a comforting conclusion - Bella apologises for being such a terror and is lovingly forgiven and hugged by her mum and treated to a bedtime story.

    Patterson's characters are bristly and realistic, and her text is full of fun extremes and repetition, everything is too this or too that. The story is succinct and perfectly rendered, accompanied by beautiful, bold and retro illustrations, complete with very emphatic facial expressions. I love how the minor background characters are unimpressed or merely amused of Bella's outbursts. The most effective spread features a supermarket scene - Bella's mother is suppressing her exasperation while  fellow shoppers are judgmental and disdainful.

    The varying font sizes reflect Bella's mounting fury. And the colour palette for the other characters and all the settings is subtle and full of pastel shades - while Bella herself, for most of the story, is kitted out in angry red. And the black chasm of her screaming mouth in each scene serves as a wonderful focal point.

      This is great for passionate pre-schoolers and weary adults, providing the former with a mirror to their own tantrums and resupplying the latter with wry laughs and some patience to help cope with such escapades  This summer sees a new Bella adventure "My Busy Being Ella Day", so more fun and histrionics are in store.

      Thanks for reading,
               LJ

A review of "Just Right" written by Birdie Black and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Hey there, Folks in the Smoke,

   I'm so very sorry for this tardy post - life has been a bit hectic lately and posting wasn't possible. But I hope this Christmas review will compensate somewhat.

   "Just Right", also published as "Just Right for Christmas", is a simple and enchanting tale full of festive flavour and snowy scenes.

   It's Christmas Eve in a snow-laden kingdom. We follow the route of a piece of red cloth and learn of the uses it and it's subsequent off-cuts are put to - the initial bolt is used to make a cloak for a princess. The scraps are placed by the back door and taken by a kitchen-maid, she then makes a gift for her mother. The same process is repeated with each set of scraps being perfect from which to fashion a smaller gift for a smaller creature until the very final gift of a scarf for a tiny mouse. Each gift is sewn with love and given with tenderness. The reveal spread, on which we see each recipient opening and adoring their present, is gorgeous and sweet. 

    Black's story is tender and warm, it feels like a traditional tale with a perfectly pitched array of characters and an elegant thread binding them together. The text has a beautiful cadence, and I love the repetition of "snipped and sewed, sewed and snipped" as each character creates their own gift from the red cloth.The closing sentiment of each gift being "just right", and that is "just how Christmas should feel", is sure to warm even the chilliest heart. 

   Beardshaw's illustrations are poised and cosy - her people are rosy-cheeked and her animals are exquisitely furry and very energetic. The colour palette of the brown of the forest, the red of the gifts and the white of the snow makes you feel chilly and comforted simultaneously. 

   I'd recommend this as a charming addition to the yuletide reading list - it's heartfelt and delightful. 

   Thanks for reading, and a very Merry Christmas (or general holiday season) to you and yours,

                Lisa 

A review of "A World Between Us" by Lydia Syson

Hello People in the Ether,

   This debut by Lydia Syson is a thrilling, romantic, powerful and heartfelt description of war and love.

   It's 1936 and Felix (short for Felicity) is a trainee nurse in the East End of London. She has all but escaped her claustrophobic, suburban background - apart from visits to a quiet mother, a judgemental brother and a sweet (but apparently dull) brother's best friend, George. In a dramatic opening we find her trapped in Whitechapel during a famous anti-fascist demonstration - where she meets an activist, Nat.

   A tender courtship doesn't have much time to develop before Nat leaves to join the International Brigades in Spain against Franco's forces. At the prospect of being apart from Nat and wanting to avoid a proposal from George, Felix decides to flee to Spain too and there she volunteers as a battlefield nurse. Newspaper man, George, follows Felix in the hope of returning her safely to her family but he soon realises the merit of the anti-fascist struggle and enlists as a mechanic in the Brigades. So, a complicated and intense love triangle plays out against the backdrop of the battles and horrors of the Spanish Civil War - we follow each of our trio through the drama.

   The plot is cleverly constructed; full of vivid set-pieces, political intrigue, questioned loyalties, exciting twists and bracing battle scenes. The romance, its thrills and pains, is very convincingly depicted and you do feel genuinely swept along with the pent-up passions and the world-falling-apart atmosphere. 

   Syson's style is subtle and gorgeous, she melts you into another time and place. The text is crystalline, by turns simple and poetic. Her pacing is really great, I found it compelling reading. She draws sharp, confused, flawed characters that you feel for, and occasionally feel frustrated with. George and Nat are honourable, steadfast, true matinee idols while Felix is honest, idealistic,naive and brave. I found the romance tender and exciting, and the battlefield medicine passages were visceral. 

   I think this is a nigh-perfect YA read, its engaging, pulsing, beautifully written and doesn't shy away from complicated facts and tough history. Equally highly recommended for early teens interested in history and politics or those wanting an intense love story without any supernatural hook.

    Thanks for reading,

       LJ

A review of "Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble" written by Tracey Corderoy and illustrated by Joe Berger

Hi Folks in the Smoke,

   As Halloween fast approaches I think a spooky offering might be in order. This is a fun, rhyming story from the talented Tracey Corderoy teamed with lush, retro illustrations by Joe Berger. It was published last Autumn and there is a new installment "Whizz, Pop, Granny, Stop!" out now, but I thought I'd opt for the original today.

    The eponymous Granny causes trouble because she isn't a typical Granny - she isn't sweet and simple, she doesn't have a purple rinse or WI friends. She has unusual pets and strange habits and uses mischievous magic to make life easier and more fun. While this might sound great, her granddaughter finds it disconcerting. She'd prefer a normal life, a normal grandmother. So, she launches a Granny make-over, which seems to go well but it isn't long before the little girl realises that she misses her grandmother's eccentric ways and that Granny is now blue.

    Corderoy's story is clever and rich, fun and funny. I love the Granny, she's classy and sophisticated, an individual - not your typical witch. The rhymes are great, strong and joyous, they trip off the tongue and always propel the narrative instead of just ticking boxes.

    Berger's artwork is a delight. The colour palette is fabulous - very reminiscent of how I remember "Bewitched" or "I Dream of Jeannie" - smudgy greys and charcoals, moody blues and greens and sorbet pinks and purples. I adored the little details; watch out for the movie named on the cinema marquee.

   This is a great, warm story with infectious cadence and scintillating illustrations - I'd recommend it as an atmospheric read for Halloween but also as a subtle tale on identity and individuality. And  "Whizz, Pop, Granny, Stop!" is just as entertaining.

     Thanks for reading,
           LJ

A review of "Zac and Zeb and the Make-Believe Birthday Party" by Sarah Massini

Hi People in the Ether,

      Zac is a spotty dog and Zeb is a stripy zebra, and they are best friends. This, their first adventure, opens with Zac's birthday celebrations. When all the fun is over we learn that Zeb isn't the most patient creature and he wants his birthday right now. Zac tells him that it's next. Unfortunately, the little zebra takes this to mean tomorrow and is heartbroken when guests and gifts fail to arrive the next day. Instead, Zac rushes to the rescue and suggests a make-believe birthday party, complete with imagined gifts, an exciting journey and a scrummy picnic - on the Moon.

   The story trots along with nicely-pitched text, making use of great active words, and the use of glum as a verb made me grin! The font is very fluid, it zips around the illustrations and changes size for emphasis where needed - but it's never over-played.

   We meet our duo on a great introductory page, before the title page even. It's a nice touch and let's us know who and what they are and that they are each  "a good kind of best friend". This serves to save time, we can delve right into the story, and will be useful in their future outings, I'm sure - readers will be able to start reading at any book, not needing any more back story than this. Massini has created two really lively and loveable characters and gives us a strong sense of their personalities and the dynamic between them.

   The black and white of Zac and Zab contrasts zingily with the vibrant surroundings and supporting characters. The spreads, other than those in outer space, are crisp and white allowing the vivid shades to pop beautifully. The make-believe space backgrounds are rightly dreamy and I really appreciated the pair's cute flag which they plant on the Moon - with spots and stripes to match their own markings.

   I very much enjoyed this and I think, much like Zeb at the end of the tale, we've more fun and games to come.

   Thanks for reading,

        LJ

A review of "Ketchup Clouds" by Annabel Pitcher

Hi Folks in the Smoke,

    I've been lucky enough to get a sneaky, advance copy of Annabel Pitcher's upcoming novel "Ketchup Clouds". I adored her sparkling debut "My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece" and was waiting with bated breath for this. So, with excitement just-about-contained, I thought I'd share it
with you.

    Where "My Sister…" followed 10-year-old  Jamie, "Ketchup Clouds" is an older affair. Our narrator this time out is a 15-year-old girl who is suffocating with guilt and grief. She gives herself the pseudonym "Zoe".

    The tale is beautifully wrought and I don't want to spoil any of the dramatic twists, so I'll stay sparse on plots details. Suffice to say Zoe has two younger sisters, a pair of stressed parents, a loyal and charismatic best friend, as well as studies to attend to and various social trials and tribulations to endure. But there are also two boys around whom most of the action revolves.

      Pitcher has Zoe pour her heart out through letters that she writes to an American death row prisoner, Stuart. It's meant to be a charitable act but becomes a confessional for Zoe, a way for her to divulge and eventually understand what's happened in the past year - she is a searingly honest narrator. This device is very powerful as it contrasts crime and guilt, conscience and prison. While we never read Stuart's replies we do see Zoe soften and become more comfortable and confiding as the forms of address and the sign offs evolve through the novel.

     I did weep when I finished "My Sister" and so there was a level of expectation that Pitcher might put me through the ringer again. She does, but in a different, teenaged way and so I was left with a sense of heartache rather than being convulsed in tears - but that's a great thing; she's a skilled, sophisticated crafter of story, not just a heartstring-tugger. And she's a more accomplished, confident writer this time out - she tells us things at her own pace, teasing us and reflecting the anxious nature of Zoe. While the reveal isn't a complete shock, that might merely be a reward for attentive reading.

    Pitcher's style is emotionally eloquent, weaving a story of teen uncertainty, of loss and of feeling lost, with tenderness and attitude, warmth and wit. Zoe is very real, you can hear her drafting her letters, see her crouched over the page in the dead of night, feel her conflicting emotions. She is a sincere, knowing and endearing character.

  

   I'd recommend this for fans of Pitcher but also for anyone who has enjoyed the likes of "Solace of the Road", "What I Was" and "The Sky is Everywhere". Hers is a powerful new voice with versatility and passion, and most importantly a talent for telling original stories.

   Thanks for reading,

          LJ

A review of "Cloud Tea Monkeys", written by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham and illustrated by Juan Wijngaard

Hi there People in the Ether,

   Sorry for the silence; summer and various events got in the way lately.

   This is a sincere and serene tale inspired by legends from the Himalayas.

   Peet and Graham set their tale among the lady tea pickers on an Indian tea plantation - they live and work in the lower reaches of the mountains, gazing at the mystical clouds that hang over the upper peaks.

   A little girl, Tashi, accompanies her mother to work each day and steals away to be with a troupe of monkeys. When her mother becomes ill, Tashi thinks she will pick tea so that the doctor's bills can be paid. But the basket is bigger than she is, and the overseer is mean. Tashi seeks refuge with her simian friends, and while she weeps, they take the basket and disappear beyond the cloud into the upper reaches of the mountains. They return with a basket full of beautiful, unusual tea leaves. The imperious but gentle Royal Tea Taster happens by the plantation and is impressed with Tashi's haul - he knows the harvesters were monkeys and he knows the leaves are cloud tea, a very rare treasure. Thasi's miracle has arrived.

   The story is conjured in a beautiful, gentle, bewitchingly traditional tone - it's like a classical fairy tale or A Thousand and One Nights episode. Tashi is sweet and brave, and her monkey companions are full of character but never anthropomorphised. The writers have chosen tender phrases and descriptions of colours that are very evocative of the landscape and Imperial era.

   The illustrations are very vibrant, rich and enchanting. Wijngaard uses both oil artwork and line drawings to bring the plantation, the women and the animals to life in glorious rubies, emeralds and sapphires. I especially love the pencil sketches of the Tea Taster's various faces as he samples the cloud tea - looking "like a man who'd seen an angel".
   It's a pleasing package too - the designer has employed a very traditional page layout throughout with text and plate-like illustrations complimenting the traditional style of the story. The cover is moody and beautiful, and the paper is a lovely weight and a milky shade.

   So, ultimately, this is a longer, layered story, full of detailed descriptions and sophisticated turns of phrase, and would probably speak more to readers of six years and older.

   Thanks for reading,
          LJ

A review of "Farmer Clegg's Night Out" written by Peter Bently and illustrated by Jim Field

Hi Folks in the Smoke,
   Bently and Field's new offering is giggly and fun, but it's no Cats Ahoy - more's the pity.

   Famer Clegg wearily retires for the evening, but in his barn the animals are gathering for a rustic talent show, the "Tractor Factor". There are some wonderful acts, a break-dancing equine, a body-popping bovine and a group of serenading porcines. There are twin sheep, reminiscent of recent TV show fan favouites, and a cranky judge on the panel, to boot. But the surprising finale features a sleep-dancing Clegg who steals the show.

   Bently's turn of phrase and twist of rhyme are as lovely as ever. But this tale lacks the joyous surprise conclusion of earlier hits, I'm afraid. I did love the Honky Tonk Geese, though, they reminded me of the flock on my garndparents' farm.

   Field's illustrations are detailed and brimming with character. The animals are wonderful and the hidden jokes are fun to spot, in particular the bashful ugly duckling and the ingenious auditorium snacks of grass-in-bags.

   While "Farmer Cleggs's Night Out" is an enjoyable story, I'm slightly worried it might not have the longevity of previous Bently stories as it's talent show references might date it quickly.

   Thanks for reading,
          LJ

A review of "The Hueys in The New Jumper" by Oliver Jeffers

Hey there, People in the Ether,

   Oliver Jeffers' latest irresistible and witty creation is about a breed of creatures called the Hueys.

   In a world of Hueys, where every Huey looks, thinks and acts the same, one Huey called Rupert decides he wants to proclaim his individuality, he wants to be different from the crowd. He knits himself a rather fetching orange, zig-zaggy jumper and, though this freakish behaviour is initially frowned-upon, the other Hueys soon catch on. First up, Rupert's best friend  who "thought being different was interesting". Soon all the Hueys have, like sheep, followed the trend and are all sporting the orange woolly jumpers. Now that everybody is different, they are all the same again. But, luckily Rupert has a snazzy accessory with which to rectify the frustrating situation.

   Jeffers' artwork is sparse, mostly simple line drawings with bursts of colour for the orange jumpers. There are occasional pages drenched in background colour and they lift the sequence nicely. The Hueys are bean-like creatures with few features but plenty of little muttered statements, thought bubbles and furrowed brows to indicate emotion. They have strange hands and naturally, for Jeffers, no feet though they do possess excellently scribbled shadows. And, as ever, the hand lettering of the text is warm and charismatic.

   I do adore Jeffers, his quirky illustrations and witty, charming stories. And though this is a simpler, sparser story it is still engaging and enjoyable. The Hueys were inspired by the fact that Jeffers' grandfather, who is grandfather and great-grandfather to many, terms each of his gaggle of grandchildren and great-grandchildren "Huey".

   Personally, I found added pleasure in this story because Rupert's best friend is called Gillespie, which just happens to be my surname! So, when I turned to that spread for the first time, the discovery made me squeal - and my squeal, as my boyfriend can attest, is super loud and super pitchy. It made my day. And I agree with my name sake, in picture books as in life, being different is most definitely interesting.

     Thanks for reading,

           LJ

A review of "Goldilocks and Just the One Bear" by Leigh Hodgkinson

Hi Folks in the Smoke,

   Leigh Hodgkinson reunites the domestic terrorist Goldilocks and the sweet, innocent Baby Bear-as-was in this role reversal story. 

 

   He has grown up and is now an independent loner, he's "Just the One Bear". He gets a little muddled, though, and loses his way. Bear wanders from his woodland home to a bustling, fairytale version of New York - replete with signs announcing the likes of the "Fairy Godmother Theatre" and "Princess Avenue".

   In his dizziness, he seeks shelter in an ivory tower, wheeling through the foyer and up many floors until he finds himself in a luxurious apartment. His search for porridge is in vain, the chairs are bizarre and the beds are far from ideal. Until he settles on a cozy one that's just a tad too small.

   From his deep, dreamy slumber, Bear becomes aware that a mummy type person, a daddy type person and a little person have returned to the home and they are aghast at the havoc the uninvited guest has wrecked.

   When they discover him under the duvet, however, home-owner rage melts into recognition as the mummy person and the Bear stare into each others' eyes and remember their last encounter - when Goldilocks was the interloper and the Bear family was the injured party. This reunion leads to a pleasant evening of porridge and bonding before Bear, now equipped with a map and NYC souvenirs, ventures home.

   The story is charming - quite a simple idea, beautifully executed. The language is vibrant and lovingly phrased. And the font choices compliment the emotion and action wonderfully. The characters are perfect, really well imagined and stylishly depicted.

   Hodgkinson's cut-out multimedia artwork is full of spark, texture and delicious colours. The world is a wonderful mix of chic metropolitan sketches and warm characters . Her background in animation lends these illustrations a great stop-motion quality - it all feels very alive, as if everything is just about to move and we've captured the perfect moment in each scene.

   This is a fun and wry exploration of old acquaintances and of karma. And it might encourage little readers to imagine what their favourite characters do after a story finishes and a book closes - great stuff.

   Thanks for reading,

       LJ

A review of "The Secret Hen House Theatre" by Helen Peters

Hey there, People in the Ether,

   This debut novel is based on the author's childhood experiences of farm life and amateur theatre.

   Hannah longs to be a playwright, a director, an actress. It's a way to feel connected to her deceased mother and to escape the sadness of her father, the mayhem of a ramshackle farmyard, three taxing siblings, many animals and some annoying school mates. Her partner in thespianism is best friend Lottie. Together they write a play, design costumes and build a clandestine theatre in a long forgotten hen house. They recruit the eccentric sisters and brother and overcome disasters, peer problems and parental disapproval to stage the play as part of a local arts festival.

    Meanwhile, the dilapidated but charming farm is under threat as rents sky rocket, funds evaporate and catastrophe strikes. Hannah hatches many plans to help her father and preserve the farm. Will any of them succeed?

 

   This is a heartwarming story told lovingly and with great conviction. Hannah is a charming protagonist, a bit egotistical, flawed and confused, she is a believable pre-teen. I enjoyed how Peters drew the other kids and adults, they are three dimensional - especially Hannah's father who is trapped by his grief, money worries and prone to swearing (though we never read any of his choice vocabulary). The farmyard is effectively evoked. The theatre theme never turns too lovey nor does the DIY become too Swallows-and-Amazons-y. Everything is very nice and neat and tidy by the close but that is forgivable because of the pleasant read and the fact that there are some choice scenes of pre-teen drama and mild violence thrown in for good measure.

    I very much enjoyed this novel, though it is at the young and innocent end of the YA market. It wears that youth and innocence lightly. I look forward Helen Peters' future work.

     Thanks for reading,
           LJ

A review of "FArTHER" by Grahame Baker-Smith

Hello Folks in the Smoke,

   "FArTHER" is a beautiful, mesmerising book with an aching story. It won the Kate Greenaway medal last year for its inventive, dreamlike illustrations.

   Baker-Smith digitally creates worlds of reach-out-and-touch quality; they are magical, dimensional and stirring. The story itself is timeless, we're not sure when it's set but it doesn't really matter. It's haunted by ancient ideals, renaissance invention and the spectre of warfare. It's a rewiring of Daedalus and Icarus.

   The boy of the story is bewildered by his father's fascination with flight. It's his father's obsession to reach further but it means that he is removed from his son, farther away from him even though he is always nearby. He slaves away like a Wright brother, building beautiful but flawed flying contraptions. Occasionally he remembers his son and they have special days, lovely adventures, but they end all too soon when the obsession returns. The boy seems confused by this and aches for his father's company and attention.

   Before achieving his dream, the boy's father is called away to war. He leaves their clifftop home, passing along a lane of poppies, dressed in a WWI era uniform. The father never returns but instead he and his dream haunt the boy. When the boy grows to young manhood he takes on his father's ventures and he succeeds, soaring high above their home. It's not clear whether he does this as a homage to his father or whether he is equally bewitched by the challenge. He then becomes a father himself and wonders what will ensnare his son.

   Baker-Smith's art manages to be both detailed and panoramic in the same breath. The blend of textures and colours is powerful and evocative, especially so when the weather is showcased and pathetic fallacy is at play. The characters are gleamingly moon-faced, godlike creatures and the inventions are rendered with such dexterity and realism that you want to grasp them. The house and cliff top setting are cinematic. I loved the detail-laden spreads, especially when the teenaged boy undertakes the mission; while text simply reads "I took up the old wings, made a few simple adjustments" in the image we see the contrast in characters so clearly. This is a much more organised workbench, the boy is a different man than his father though he pursues the same dream. Its subtle and all the stronger for its subtly. 

   Ultimately, this is a father and son story (the mother and wife only appear occasionally). It's about how preoccupation pulls us out of moments, out of relationships. It's an examination of how fathers and sons relate to each other, and perhaps is of the opinion that sons only understand their fathers when they themselves have sons. It is about frustrated dreams, the loss of and grieving for a loved one, the torturous emotions of being a parent's child and being a child's parent.

   So, while the artwork is captivating and glorious with ready appeal for tiny, inquisitive eyes, I think the story is more for the adult reader - but that's the hallmark of a damn good picture book, it works on different levels. 

   Thank for reading,

         LJ